problems multi purpose text

Since his parents are away, Dennis has invited ten of his 3 mates to watch the England match, while Maggie is also keen to have the house to 4 herself, having invited a “friend” roun

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Problems

Multi-Purpose Text

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England 1 – Broccoli 0 (Original Text)

Line

1 It’s the last Saturday in September, and Maggie and Dennis are both getting ready

2 for the evening ahead Since his parents are away, Dennis has invited ten of his

3 mates to watch the England match, while Maggie is also keen to have the house to

4 herself, having invited a “friend” round for a “homework session” She’s currently in

5 the kitchen frantically preparing an elaborate (and not at all romantic) meal in his

6 honour They’ve been fighting all week over who would get the house For Dennis it

7 was remarkably simple: “It’s England Paraguay, innit!” “But I never have the house to

8 myself!” complained Maggie, sticking her bottom lip out and trying hard to make it

9 tremble Neither side has backed down, hence the uneasy stalemate that now exists

10 A delicious aroma of broccoli and oregano rises from the kitchen, as Dennis slumps

11 before the telly, indolently awaiting his mates and the pre-match build-up “Just go out

12 to a pub an’ watch it!” begs Maggie for the fifteenth time, “Byron is due any minute!”

13 “Sorry, sis,” says Dennis, restlessly channel surfing, “I’m the oldest – y’know?”

14 Exasperated, Maggie returns to the kitchen to crack some more yolks Seven o’clock

15 arrives, but not Byron Build-up becomes the match proper, and Dennis’s mates

16 tuck into Maggie’s cooking manfully, appreciative that snacks have been laid on

17 Maggie weeps as she re-reads the text from Byron – “I’m immersed in coding my

18 iPad app…” – and seals the leftovers in tupperware boxes Post-match analysis

19 wraps up and Dennis and pals decamp to the pub… All except for one sensitive soul:

20 a trainee fireman called Gareth, who has offered to help Maggie tidy up

(279 words)

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England 1 – Broccoli 0 (Text with 20 Differences)

It’s the 1 past (last) Saturday in September, and Maggie and Dennis are both getting

ready for the 2 meeting (evening) ahead Since his parents are away, Dennis has invited ten of his mates to watch the England match, while Maggie is also 3 seen (keen) to have the house to herself, having invited a “friend” 4 down (round) for a “homework session” She’s 5 sullenly (currently) in the kitchen frantically preparing an elaborate (and not at all romantic) meal in his honour They’ve been 6 biting (fighting) all week over who would get the house For Dennis it was remarkably 7 pimple (simple): “It’s England Paraguay, innit!” “But I 8 ever (never) have the house to myself!” complained Maggie, sticking her

9 button (bottom) lip out and trying hard to make it tremble 10 Either (Neither) side has backed down, hence the uneasy 11 whale bait (stalemate) that now exists A delicious aroma of broccoli and oregano rises from the kitchen, as Dennis slumps 12 afore (before)

the telly, indolently awaiting his mates and the pre-match build-up “Just go out to a pub an’

watch it!” begs Maggie for the 13 fiftieth (fifteenth) time, “Byron is due any minute!”

“Sorry, sis,” says 14 Kenneth (Dennis), restlessly channel surfing, “I’m the oldest –

y’know?” Exasperated, Maggie returns to the kitchen to crack some more 15 jokes (yolks)

Seven o’clock arrives, but not Byron Build-up becomes the match proper, and Dennis’s

mates tuck into 16 Aggie’s (Maggie’s) cooking manfully, appreciative that 17 stacks (snacks) have been laid on Maggie weeps as she re-reads the text from Byron – “I’m

immersed in coding my iPad app…” – and seals the leftovers in tupperware 18 foxes

(boxes) Post-match 19 paralysis (analysis) wraps up and Dennis and pals decamp to the pub… All except for one sensitive soul: a trainee 20 barman (fireman) called Gareth,

who has offered to help Maggie tidy up

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Problems

Multi-Purpose Text

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England 1 – Broccoli 0 (Guess the Function Words)

I ’ s he last Saturday i n September, a nd Maggie a nd Dennis a re both getting ready

f or he evening ahead Since h is parents a re away, Dennis h as invited ten o f h is

mates t o watch t he England match, w hile Maggie i s a lso keen t o have t he house t o

h erself , having invited a “friend” round f or a “homework session” S he ’ s currently i n

t he kitchen frantically preparing a elaborate ( a nd not a t all romantic) meal i n h is

honour T hey ’ v e b een fighting all week over who w ould get t he house

F or Dennis i t w as remarkably simple: “ I ’ s England Paraguay, i nnit !” “ B ut never have

t he house t o m yself !” complained Maggie, sticking h er bottom lip out a nd trying hard

t o make i t tremble Neither side h as backed down, hence t he uneasy stalemate t hat

now exists A delicious aroma o f broccoli a nd oregano rises f rom he kitchen, a s

Dennis slumps b efore he telly, indolently awaiting h is mates a nd he pre-match

build-up

“Just go out t o a pub a ’ watch i t !” begs Maggie f or he fifteenth time, “Byron i s due any minute!” “Sorry, sis,” says Dennis, restlessly channel surfing, “ I ’ m he oldest –

y ’know?” Exasperated, Maggie returns t o he kitchen t o crack s ome more yolks

Seven o’clock arrives, b ut not Byron Build-up becomes t he match proper, a nd

Dennis’s mates tuck into Maggie’s cooking manfully, appreciative t hat snacks h ave

b een laid on

Maggie weeps a s s he re-reads t he text f rom Byron – “ I ’ m immersed i n coding m y

iPad app…” – a nd seals t he leftovers i n tupperware boxes Post-match analysis

wraps up a nd Dennis a nd pals decamp t o he pub… All except f or one sensitive soul:

a trainee fireman called Gareth, w ho h as offered t o help Maggie tidy up









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Problems

Multi-Purpose Text

England 1 – Broccoli 0 (What’s the Question?)

1 Dennis.

2 Saturday.

3 Go to the pub and watch the match.

4 Maggie.

5 Ten.

6 That they were going to do their

homework together.

7 All week.

8 Gareth.

9 After the post-match analysis.

10 By pretending to cry.

11 Yes, after the match had ended.

12 Paraguay.

13 Trainee fireman.

14 Because he was busy coding his

iPad app.

15 Maggie put it into tupperware boxes

to keep for another day.

16 Byron.

17 We don’t know, but from the ingredients it might have been an Italian or Mediterranean dish.

18 Because they both believed that they had the right to use the house.

19 Because she wanted to impress Byron.

20 He slumped in front of the TV.

21 Ten of his mates.

22 To the pub.

23 England versus Paraguay.

24 She said that she never got the house to herself.

25 The aroma of broccoli and oregano.

26 Because he was older than Maggie.

27 No, not really.

28 Dennis and his friends.

29 At seven o’clock in the evening.

30 She was planning a romantic meal for Byron and herself.

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England 1 – Broccoli 0 (True, False, or Unknown?)

1 The story took place in October.

2 Maggie was upset that Dennis hadn’t

backed down.

3 Maggie is the eldest sibling.

4 Maggie had agreed with her parents that

she could use the house.

5 The pre-match build-up preceded the match

proper.

6 Paraguay played England at football.

7 Maggie was looking forward to doing her

homework with Byron.

8 Dennis and his mates went to the pub after

the post-match analysis.

9 Paraguay were playing Wales in the match.

10 Gareth helped Maggie to tidy up while his

mates went for a drink.

11 Byron popped round to see Maggie for a few

minutes after finishing coding his app.

12 Byron preferred to stay at home because he

didn’t want to get involved with Maggie.

13 Gareth was a trainee farmer.

14 Gareth and Maggie spent ages tidying up,

then went into the garden.

15 Maggie had invited her friend for a meal.

16 They watched a World Cup qualifier match.

17 Maggie was not planning a romantic meal for her friend Byron.

18 Byron didn’t come because he was busy with his IT work.

19 Gareth joined his mates in the pub after helping Maggie clean up.

20 Dennis had invited twelve friends round to watch the match.

21 Dennis wanted to watch the football match with his friends.

22 Dennis’s parents had gone on holiday.

23 Byron was due to arrive at seven thirty.

24 Dennis rested while Maggie worked in the kitchen.

25 Dennis was channel surfing because he was bored.

26 Maggie tried to make Dennis feel sorry for her, so that she would get her own way.

27 Maggie is a great cook.

28 Maggie watched the pre-match build-up.

29 England beat Paraguay 2-0 [two-nil].

30 Most of Dennis’s mates were trainee firemen.

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Problems

Multi-Purpose Text

Glossary of New Words

Here are some words and phrases from the text that may be unfamiliar to students You could either pre-teach them,

or encourage your students to find translations in a bilingual dictionary and write them in the spaces below Stressed syllables are underlined

3 mates (n) informal word for friends

4 a “friend” (iron/euph) the speech marks indicate that the word

“friend” is ironic and a euphemism for something else,

in this case a person that Maggie sees as more than a friend, i.e she fancies this person and would like to become his girlfriend

4 a “homework session” (iron/euph) again, the speech marks indicate irony In

this context “homework session” is clearly a euphemism for “romantic meal”

5 frantically (adv) in a hurried and stressed out manner

5 elaborate (adj) complicated; complex

5 (and not at all romantic) (iron) The use of brackets indicates irony, i.e the

opposite of what is said is actually true – Maggie is

preparing a romantic meal

5 in his honour (phr) especially for him; to make him feel special This

phrase is rather an exaggeration, because it would normally be used to talk about preparations for an important dignitary or monarch

7 England Paraguay (phr) England are playing a football match against

Paraguay

7 innit (contr/irreg) isn’t it?

8 …trying hard to make it

tremble

(phr) Maggie wants to make it look as if she’s really upset and about to cry, so that she gets her own way

9 to back down (phr v) to surrender; to admit defeat; to give up

9 hence (conj) “the result of which is…”; “which leads to…”

9 uneasy (adj) awkward; difficult; uncomfortable

9 stalemate (n) deadlock; impasse; a situation in which neither

party in a dispute will compromise

10 oregano (n unc) a herb used in cooking, esp in Italian, Greek,

and Latin American dishes

10 to slump (v) to sit in an awkward and careless manner

11 telly (n) informal word for television

11 indolently (adv) lazily; idly; in a lazy manner; in a way that

deliberately wastes time

11 the pre-match build-up (phr) the discussion and analysis that takes place on

TV before a football match begins

12 any minute (adverbial) very soon, i.e he could arrive now

13 sis (abbr) short for sister

13 to channel surf (v) to keep changing channels on TV using the remote

control, without watching any programme for longer than a few seconds

13 y’know? (contr) you know? (do you know?) In this context

y’know is used to show that the preceding comment is

indisputable, and therefore to end any debate

14 Exasperated (adj) angry and frustrated

14 to crack some more yolks (phr) Maggie will, of course, crack eggs to get the

yolks, but this phrase is used to emphasise that she will crack the eggs for the yolks

14 yolks (n) the yellow part of an egg

15 the match proper (id) the actual match To say “the proper”

means that something occurs after a preliminary or preparatory phase, e.g “After a little discussion about modal verbs, we began the lesson proper.”

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Problems

Multi-Purpose Text

16 to tuck into (phr v) to eat enthusiastically, with much enjoyment

16 manfully (sarc) courageously; bravely; selflessly without fear

This is a rather sarcastic way to describe the situation

Dennis’s friends may be eating food that would have otherwise been wasted, but it didn’t require any particular courage for them to do it!

16 to lay on (phr v) to provide food and/or drink for a special

occasion, e.g a party or a conference

17 immersed (adj) absorbed; busy with; wrapped up in

17 coding my iPad app (phr) Byron is busy creating an application for the

Apple iPad portable electronic device

18 to seal (v) to close something firmly, usually so that it is

air-tight; to lock

18 tupperware boxes (n) air-tight plastic containers that can be used to store

food

18 post-match analysis (phr) the discussion about a football match that takes

place on TV just after the game has finished The opposite of “the pre-match build-up” (see line 11)

19 to wrap up (phr v) to conclude or be concluded by sby; to finish in

a satisfactory way, e.g “The mystery was finally wrapped up” (i.e solved successfully)

19 pals (n) informal word for friends

19 to decamp (v/iron) to move to another place as one large group of

people, e.g “The soldiers decamped to Winchester.”

An ironic parallel is drawn between Dennis and his mates, and soldiers – ironic because soldiers would probably be on a serious mission, while the boys’ aim

is totally trivial – to have a drink

19 one sensitive soul (phr/iron) a thoughtful person; the phrase is used with

some irony We don’t usually think of firemen – trainee

or otherwise – as being particularly sensitive Perhaps Gareth has more romantic ambitions in mind than simply helping Maggie to tidy up

20 to tidy up (phr v) to clean and organise the house after the party

(abbr) abbreviation

(adj) adjective

(adv) adverb

(conj) conjunction

(contr) contraction

esp especially

(euph) euphemism (id) idiom (iron) irony (irreg) irregular grammar (n) noun

(n unc) noun (uncountable)

(phr) phrase (phr v) phrasal verb (sarc) sarcasm (sby) somebody (v) verb

Extension 1:

Encourage students to look at the verb forms used in the story Ask them what time the story is set in (the past) If it’s set in the past, why are present verb forms used to tell the story? For example:

It’s the last Saturday in September…

She’s currently in the kitchen frantically preparing…

…a trainee fireman called Gareth, who has offered to help Maggie tidy up.

Ask students to retell the story (in pairs or small groups) using past verb forms, e.g

It was the last Saturday in September…

She was in the kitchen frantically preparing…

…a trainee fireman called Gareth, who had offered to help Maggie tidy up.

Discuss the effect of using present forms to tell a story that is set in the past, e.g it can bring immediacy to the story;

the story becomes more interesting and relevant because the listener needs to imagine it happening now, at this

present moment, etc How does the story change when past forms are used instead?

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Problems

Multi-Purpose Text

Extension 2:

Ask students to count the number of characters in the text (there are 4 named characters, as well as Maggie and Dennis’s parents, and Dennis’s group of ten friends, not to mention the team of pundits on TV), then to create a role play or dialogue, using a few of the characters Or, students could work on their own and create a monologue using one character from the text, where they recall what happened from their point of view

Extension 3:

Students continue the story – either as a role play or a monologue – and explore what happened next…

Answers:

England 1 – Broccoli 0 (Guess the Function Words)

See Original Text for answer

England 1 – Broccoli 0 (What’s the Question?)

Answers will vary Suggested answers:

1 What is the name of Maggie’s brother?

2 What day was it in the story?

3 What did Maggie beg Dennis to do?

4 What is the name of Dennis’s sister?

5 How many friends did Dennis invite to watch

the match?

6 What was Maggie’s alleged reason for

inviting Byron round?

7 How long had Maggie and Dennis been

fighting about who would get the house?

8 Who stayed behind to help Maggie tidy up?

9 When did the lads go to the pub?

10 How did Maggie try to make Dennis feel

sorry for her?

11 Did Maggie get the house to herself?

12 Which team was England playing?

13 What was Gareth’s job?

14 Why didn’t Byron come round to spend time

with Maggie?

15 What happened to the excess food?

16 Who did Maggie invite round for a meal?

17 What was Maggie cooking?

18 Why didn’t either side in the dispute back down?

19 Why was Maggie preparing an elaborate meal?

20 What did Dennis do while he was waiting for his friends?

21 Who did Dennis invite to watch the football?

22 Where did Dennis and his mates go after the post-match analysis had finished?

23 Who was playing in the football match?

24 Why did Maggie feel hard done by?

25 What smelled delicious?

26 Why did Dennis feel that he had the right to use the house?

27 Did Byron have a good excuse for letting Maggie down?

28 Who ate Maggie’s cooking?

29 What time was Byron due to arrive?

30 Why did Maggie want to have the house to herself?

England 1 – Broccoli 0 (True, False, or Unknown?)

(T = True, F = False, U = Unknown)

1 F

2 T

3 F

4 U

5 T

6 T

7 F

8 T

9 F

10 T

11 U

12 U

13 F

14 U

15 T

16 U

17 F

18 U

19 U

20 F

21 T

22 U

23 F

24 T

25 U

26 T

27 U

28 F

29 U

30 U